IBM announced a prototype of a
communication optical system of data capable to transmit 1 Terabit of
information per second – equivalent to download of 500 movies in high
definition.
The prototype called Holey Optochip
reached a speed eight times higher than that of parallel optical components
already build so far. The speed reached is equivalent to data base used per
100.000 users of channels of access to internet of higher velocity, arriving 10
MB/s in the most advanced countries.
Optical processor or photonic
processor, as well as chips dedicated to network traffic, can be much faster to
set aside the electrons and begin to use light pulses. Due it, engineers are
trying to develop techniques to building of chips based entirely in
communication through the light, or that are efficient in the
"translation" of electronic data (carried by electrons) in photonic
data (carried by photons of light).
The Holey Optochip, which measures
5.2 x 5.8 mm, has 48 holes made in a standard silicon wafer. The holes allow
optical access from the rear of the chip to 24 channels of reception and 24
channels of transmission, generating a very rapid architecture and at the same
time very compact. The power consumption of the chip stuck is modest, only 5
watts, although the expectation is that this will further improve in the
future. This optical chip is designed for data transfer massive in network
routing system, parallel optical call, a technology fiber optic multimode short
range, typically around 150 meters. Parallel optics differs from traditional
serial communication by optical fibers. While this communication is only
duplex, in the parallel optical data is transmitted and received simultaneously
using multiple fibers.
Figure 1. Rear of the chip (left) and Integrated
Silicon Nanophotonics chip technology (right)
By Rosana Ribeiro
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